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Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue TD has welcomed a HSE management update on progress towards delivering a permanent new ambulance station in Buncrana.

“I welcome the HSE update at the Donegal Oireachtas Health Forum meeting last Friday on progressing a permanent ambulance base for Buncrana.  Much work has been completed over the last two years in delivering additional ambulance staff to Inishowen so that an extra 12 hour day shift is now in place in the peninsula”.

“The next step is having the additional 12 hour shift based in a new ambulance station in Buncrana.   The HSE had committed that following the opening of the new Primary Care Centre in Buncrana, the vacated GP doctors surgery would be developed as a new ambulance base in the town.  I welcome that the HSE are now making good on that commitment and planning to make the alterations needed for the former surgery to operate as an ambulance base.   It is important that this work now progresses as quickly as possible and I will continue to work with local Cllr Rena Donaghey to deliver this”.

“We have seen good progress in primary health care services in Inishowen recently with the opening of the new Buncrana and Newtowncunningham Primary Care Centres as well as significant improvement works currently underway at Carndonagh Community Hospital.  It is crucial that this progress is complemented by a well resourced ambulance service and a second permanent ambulance base in the peninsula will be a great step forward.  It will greatly assist the tremendous work that our ambulance staff do on a daily basis.   Once operational, the HSE plans to further prioritise resourcing it so that Buncrana becomes a 24 hour base, as is the case with Carndonagh, and further add to the service being provided for Inishowen” concluded Minister McConalogue.